Underground valve for oil wells



Sept. 22, 1931. c. R. HARPER UNDERGROUND VALVE FOR OIL WELLS Filed Sept. 20, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet l gwuemtoo iloz'ce 1?. Harper;

lMM/K I fill/11111 Ill l/I/fl/ll/flr Sept. 22, 1931. Y c. R. HARPER 1,823,936

UNDERGROUND vALvE FOR OIL WELLS Fil pt. 20. 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Choice 12, Hal a e);

Patented Sept. 22, 1931 onoron REAR-PER, or KNOX CITY, TEXAS, Ass-xenon or ZONE-THIRD 'ro' JACK WATKINS, or WINK, axes UNDERGROUND VALVEFOB, oil. WE LS s Application filed. September 20, 1929. Serial No. 394,121:

The object of the invention is to provide a valve structure for location in 011 well caslngs which will be automatically opened on the lowering of the Working valve and during 5 the operation of the latter and automatically closed when the working valve and tubing are withdrawn, thus providing in a high pressure well, a means for preventing the flow of oil through the tubing while the same is bea ing pulled and also preventing the escape of gas from the well with its attendant danger to the workmen; to provide a valve of this nature which is spring actuated to either its open or closed position; and to provide a valve structure of this nature which is generally of simple form, so as to be susceptible of cheap manufacture and low marketing cost.

With this object in view theinvention consists in a construction and combination of parts of which a preferred embodiment is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein: Figure 1 is an elevational view, partly 1n section, illustrating the invention.

an interior annular rib 14, tapered as indicated at 15, to provide a conical seat 101' the correspondingly shaped lower end 16 of the valve casing 17. The, casing 17 at its upper end is machined as indicated at 18 to provide a cylindrical portion located in and snugly engaging the face of an annular rib 19 on the interior of the housing 10 which, above this rib 19 is interiorlythreaded' for the reception of the lower exteriorly threaded end 20 of a cap member 21 which, when engaged with the housing 10 at the upper end, has'its lower end bearing on the upper end of the casing 17. l The upper end of the casing 17 is beveled to provide aconical seat for the lower Figure 2 is a central vertical sectional view anchored at a fixed point as indicated at 32 within the extension 27. In the movement endoif the threaded portion 20 of the cap 21. Theiengaging faces betweenthe lower POI? tion 16 "ofthe easing 17 and, the cap 15, as well as the contacting-,faces between the parts 19 and 18 and the .u-pperend of the casing 17 and 55 lower end ofthe threadedextension 20 are ground fits, so as to preclude leakage when the parts are assembled.

Just above the lowerconical portion 16, the casing 17 is of globular-formation and located so within this. globular chamber 22 isfa disk "i valve 23 which isa'daptedto assume either of two positions in one of which it is disposed transversely across the casing 17 when it engages the seat 24 and; encloses communion no tion through the casing 17. jIn the other positionythedisk valve lies'in a plane parallel to the axes of the casing, thus opening communioation through the latter.v f

The diskvalve 28 is pivotallymounted and to to this end is provided with a pair of spaced ears 25 from the outer faces of which project pivot studs 26 pivotally mounted in the spaced side walls of a lateralefxtension 27 of the -casing17. The earsare spanned by-pins 28 and 29'disposed on opposite sides of the pivots 2 6 and-to the former is pivotally connected a link member 30and to the latter one end of a tension spring31 whose other end is of; the diskvalve 23 to its open and closed positions, the spring crosses the axes of the pivot studs 26 so that it is double acting to yie'ldingly hold the valve-in either of the two positions. 7 v V The link member 30 is preferably crosssectionally circular and enters the extension 27 ofthe casing 17 through a-stuffing'box 33, passing through a second'stuifing box 34 into anotherextension .35 of the "casing 17. in which-it is pivotally connected as indicated at 36 to a trip lever 37 which isfpivotally mounted in the extension 35 of the casing17, as d 'cateda 38- S ncethe link member 30 has pivotal connectionsIboth' with the valve123 and trip lever 37, it is made comparatively small, in cross section so as to spring n thechanglng pos tions of. the plvots the latter is lowered. When the working valve reachesthe valve 23, it unseats the latter and after this valve has moved to a position where the spring 31 passes the pivot studs 26, the spring completes the opening operation, when the free end of the lever 37 is shifted to the bottom side of the extension 35. During the pumping operation, the working valve operates below theplane of the lever 37, so there is no tendency to change theopen position of the valve 23. When the working valve and the tubing are withdrawn, however, it is the purpose to have the V valve 23 closed, so that there may be no passage of oil or gas up the well tube. The elevation of the working valve 39 brings the shouldered portion 40 into engagement with the free end of the lever 37, when the latter is rocked on its pivot, thus swinging the ture.

CHOICE R. HARPER.

valve 23 to closed position by reason of the link connection between the lever and the valve, the spring 31 completing the closing operation immediately after it has'passed the centers of the pivots 26.

The invention having been described what is claimed as new and useful is:

'1. In combination with the working valve of an oil pumping apparatus, a safety valve actuated to open or closed position respectivelyby the working 'valve in lowering the latter into or withdrawing it from the well.

2. In combinationwith the working valve of an oilpumping apparatus, a safety valve spring actuated to open and closed positions, and means for effectingmovem'ent of the safety valve, said means being actuated by the working valve to close the safety valve when the working valve is withdrawn and actuated by the working valve to open the safety valve when the working valve is lowered into the well.

3. In combination with the working valve of an oil pumping apparatus, a casing through which the working valve moves, a safety valve controlling communication through said casing, and means actuated by the working valve for shifting said valve into its closed position when the working valve is withdrawn.

4. In combination with the working valve of anoil pumping apparatus, a casing through which the working valve moves, a safety valve controlling communication through said casing, and means actuated by the working valve for shifting said safety 'valve into its open and closed positions, said means comprising a spring, and a lever having a link connection with said safety valve 

